4th National Conference on REACH 16 December 2013 Rome Cristina de Avila European Commission DG Environment

Making chemicals safer:

Towards 2020

Chemicals in the EU – a large sector

• EU is losing world-wide share but still growing

• The EU has limited natural resources

•Innovation is key to continued growth, together with other key drivers

• In 2010 world chemical turn-over values at € 2 353 Billion

• 3rd manufacturing

sector in EU • 25 000 companies • 1,7 million employees

Every year the value of € 2 353 Billion of chemicals enters the economy, that is the 'technosphere' and either: - exits to the environment (incl. humans) - stays or degrades in the 'technosphere'

Chemicals lifecycle

extraction

Chemical processing

Component manufacturing

Product assembly

Distribution

Use

End of life

REACH Review conclusions:

REACH functions well and delivers on all objectives that at present can be assessed

Some needs for adjustments but no changes to legal text

Need to reduce impact on SMEs Opportunities for improvement by optimizing implementation Commitment of all actors involved needed

REACH review conclusions

HEALTH and ENVIRONMENT

• Too early to quantify benefits but

positive initial trend for substances already registered:

• More and better information available

• Better targeted risk management measures

• Significant decrease in the risks

• Increased moves towards substitution of SVHC

REACH Review – next steps

• 2014: Endocrine disruptors

Adaptation of REACH Annexes to nanomaterials

• 2015: Requirements for 1-10 tonnes substances and/or polymers Follow-up report on impact of REACH on innovation

7th Environmental Action Plan (EAP) "Living well, within the limits of our planet" Objective 3: To safeguard EU citizens from environment-related pressures and risks to health and well-being

7th Environmental Action Plan (EAP)

• REACH, CLP, biocides and PPP regulations: baseline protection

• Uncertainty about

• Endocrine disruptors

• Combined effects of chemicals

• Chemicals in products

• Nanomaterials

7th Environmental Action Plan (EAP)

Therefore:

- Develop hazard-based ED criteria

- Develop "comprehensive approach to minimising exposure to hazardous substances, including chemicals in products"

- Review definition nanomaterials in 2014

- Increase chemicals knowledge base -> predictability -> sustainable solutions

7th Environmental Action Plan (EAP)

Ultimate goal:

-Ensure that long-term actions towards a non-toxic environment will be identified

In particular:

- By 2020 all relevant Substances of Very High Concern on Candidate List

The SVHC Roadmap

Vice-President Tajani and Commissioner Potočnik commitments:

• Candidate List of 136 SVHC by end of 2012

• All relevant currently known SVHCs included in Candidate List by 2020

- (key is to define "relevant")

SVHC Roadmap

• Builds on Risk Management Options (RMO) analysis framework

• Commission, ECHA and Member States to work together

• Broad support from Environment and Competitiveness Council

SVHC Roadmap Implementation

Main aspects:

• How to screen and analyse categories of SVHCs (CMRs, PBTs, substances of equivalent concern)

• Role of RMO analysis in choosing best option

• How to integrate socio-economic elements in decision making

• Workload sharing

• Progress monitoring, reporting and communication

Endocrine disruptors

• Hazard-based scientific criteria

• Applicable across all relevant legislation

• Impact assessment 2014

• New strategy to replace 1999 strategy

Conclusions • REACH key to achieving 7th EAP objectives • Future areas of regulation

Nanomaterials Endocrine disruptors

Cocktail effects

This presentation does not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Commission.

For further information • ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/reach

• ec.europa.eu/enterprise/reach

• echa.europa.eu